Annual Bottling Party

by Beth Heiserman

Someone asked me last week on a tour, its December, what are doing? There is always something happening at the vineyard all year long. Right now, we are preparing to bottle our 2016 & 2017 vintages. Every year we have an event at the vineyard for guests to see the bottling process. It will be January 5th from 12pm-4pm. Its $49 per person and it includes lunch, a glass of wine, a tour of the bottling line and you get to take home…

“ABC” ….

Anything But Chardonnay!

Just the other day somebody made that comment “ABC”. I haven’t heard that expression in quite a while. If you haven’t heard of before it stands for “anything but Chardonnay”. Traditionally I am one of those people who don’t really enjoy Chardonnay, but I absolutely adore our 2015 Amber Chardonnay. This is a white wine made for red wine drinkers. I am a red wine drinker. I enjoy red by far more than whites even though I do love having a glass…

For everyone that knows me, I love talking about Merlot. Every wine has a holiday and of course Merlot gets a whole month and a day. You start to enjoy Merlot for the whole month of October and on November 7 we finish it with a bang. #MerlotMe It’s one of those wines that needs a little bit of a push, but when you try it, you will love it. This Past weekend, I was pouring our 2015 Merlot at the Sunset in the Vineyard…

The Perfect Pairing….wine and chocolate!

by Beth Heiserman

For anyone who knows me, you know I love M&M’s and thought was my grandma’s fault. Every time, I go shopping at Target, I HAVE to peek at the seasonal flavors. I love to pair the flavors with notes from the wines. For instance, our 2009 Merlot paired well with the mint, the 2010 Merlot with the pumpkin pie and the 2011 Merlot with the coffee nut.

What is the difference between cooking wine and wine you drink?

By Beth P. Heiserman

This week, I had a customer ask is there a difference between a cooking a wine and wine that is called for in a recipe. The answer is yes and no. It depends upon the wine that is part of the recipe. But for the most part, the main difference is the quality of wine. Drinking wine is a much better quality. Cooking with a drinking wine will give you a better dish because…

This coming Saturday, October 13th, Reyes Winery is hosting a Merlot Vertical. You will get to pair our award-winning Merlot with a tasty treat along with education about Merlot and our wines. I will be pouring from the 2009 vintage through the 2012, plus the newly released 2013, the unreleased 2015 and finishing with the 2015 Rose of Merlot.

The 2009 vintage has sold out of the tasting room, but I saved 2 cases for this special day. It has won a gold medal at the 2011 Long Beach Grand Cru Wine…

What creates the color in a wine?

by Beth Heiserman

Every weekend in the tasting room, we have guests from all over and I am asked an array of questions. This past weekend someone asked me what makes red wine…red? They asked if all wine starts out white and we add food coloring. No, we don’t add anything. The coloring comes from the skin of the grape, well that is a red grape; like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Grenache. Each variety of grapes has a different shade of red. Cabernet Sauvignon is ruby, Merlot has…

2011 Reyes Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Strawberry Peppercorn Cobbler

by Beth Heiserman

This past weekend, we hosted our quarterly member ship pick up party. Many of our guests have requested some of my recipes that have not yet been added to my blog, including my strawberry black peppercorn Cabernet cobbler. Instead of having ice cream, It tastes amazing if you eat it with a little bit of brie or chèvre. I pair this with our 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. Today I’m starting with dessert versus the salad or lunch course. The first…

Oxidation/Oxidative

by Beth Heiserman

Oxidation in wine is the most common wine fault. It is presence of oxygen and a catalyst is what makes the process to transpire. Oxidation can happen during different stages of winemaking through aging in a bottle. It can cause a loss of color, for instance the red wine will have a brownish tint. It reminds me of the color of a raisin. Sulfates are added to wine, to prevent this.

The Romans used sulfur dioxide in winemaking, they had discovered that burning candles inside empty…

Is there a difference between Cabernet and Cabernet Sauvignon?

by Beth Heiserman

Sometimes Cabernet Sauvignon is referred to as just Cab, Cabernet, Cab Sauv and many other names. It is the same thing. There is no official grape called Cabernet. It is just a nick name like you might hear someone say Zin instead of Zinfandel.

There are grapes called Cabernet Franc, Ruby Cabernet, Cabernet Gris and a few more that aren’t cultivated anymore. Cabernet Sauvignon is a hybrid from Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc which are…

What element of wine makes it taste dry? ….Tannins in wine

By Beth Heiserman

There are different types of tannins; skin, seeds and from the barrels. They all have a different complexity. It is a naturally occurring polyphenol which is found in plants, seeds, wood and skins of a fruit like grapes. Tannins are usually from red wines unless the white wine was aged in a barrel or was a skin-contact white wine, like our 2015 Amber Chardonnay.

Cabernet Sauvignon and its relationship with Oak

by Beth Heiserman

One of the most noted characters of Cabernet Sauvignon is its likeness for oak. You can ferment the wine in oak and during its aging period in the barrels it will acquire that oakiness we love. During the ageing period in a barrel, the wine will soften so the tannins, will be less pronounced.

In a previous article I wrote about the history of wine barrels, I mentioned that around the 2nd century BCE that people realized that oak softens…

Fruit Set, the third stage of an annual grape vine

By Beth Heiserman

The third stage of an annual grape vine is “fruit set”. It follows flowering, when the fertilized flower begins to develop a seed and the grape berry to protect the seed. Every week I walk around the fields to see the progress of the grapes each season. I was so impressed to see how the grapes are growing this year. Walking around the Cabernet Sauvignon…

Cabernet Sauvignon, the most popular red grape in the world!

Part 2

In the next couple of weeks, leading up to our Cabernet Sauvignon vertical on August 25th, I will be sharing some wonderful info about this popular varietal. I will share each week a little something. There is so much to share about the fantastic grape that it’s too much for just one week.

Cabernet Sauvignon is considered to be one of the most popular wines. America is the third most grown varietal around the…

What is a blended wine?

A mix of two or more wines…. not blended in a blender!

By Beth Heiserman

I was reading an article the other day about wine blends are their origins then I came across an article about blending wine in a blender. Combining two or more wines makes each one better than they would be on their own. Sometimes wine varietals need other wines to help them have the complexity that a wine needs. Sometimes a wine can be flat and if you blend…

About 20 years ago, I remember being in the tasting room of Wente Winery during my internship and the tasting room manager was doing a wine pairing with me. He made beef jerky and paired it with their Cabernet Sauvignon. He also showed me a brownie mix they sold, that you add eggs, oil and Cabernet Sauvignon. I was sold! I have adapted this concept and made my own brownie recipe. Reyes Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon has a sweet aroma gives this fruity wine its huge popularity. Raspberries, Cocoa and Blackberries…

Petite Sirah, Syrah….are they the same or different?

By Beth Heiserman

This past weekend, we had many people ask about Petite Sirah. Why are they spelled different? Is Petite Sirah a smaller grape, lighter on flavor? Many people had so many questions, that I thought I would elaborate about Petite Sirah. A few months ago, I mentioned a little about one of my learning experiences of wine and Petite Sirah.

It’s really called Durif. It’s grown mainly in Australia, California and France. In the past 30 years, its popularity has…

Come celebrate National Wine and Cheese Day at Reyes Winery…

We will be having a Vertical Tasting at Reyes Winery on
Saturday July 14th from 12pm-2pm. Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in. I start promptly at noon.

We will be serving our Muscats from 2011-2016 and Sweet Serenity, a dessert wine made from our 2009 Muscat. Sweet Serenity has won Gold & Best in Class in the 2014 Long Beach Grand Cru and a bronze in the 2014 Los Angeles International Wine…

Flowering…

The second stage of a grape vine

By Beth Heiserman

Six weeks ago, I wrote about “The First stage of a grape vine”. This week we are now starting the second stage in our Chardonnay grapes, which is called “flowering”. It can be anywhere from 40-60 and some varietals takes longer than the 60 days. The average daily temperature needs to be about 65 °F from bud break. Our Chardonnay has taken about 45 days to flower the last two years, from bud break. Our Syrah, Cabernet…

Pinot Grigio is sometimes known as Pinot Gris

By Beth Heiserman

Pinot Grigio is sometimes known as Pinot Gris. It is a white wine grape. It has a grayish hue, where as many other white wine grapes are generally yellow or greenish in color and sometimes even pink. When the wine is produced it can very clear to grey or even a light yellow to a copper shade. Reyes Winery’s 2016 Pinot Grigio is a grayish tone. It’s very clear almost like water.

2011 Reyes Muscat Chicken Sausage Hash Brown Casserole

By Beth P. Heiserman

My mother and grandmother always made casserole when I was growing up. Brunch at grandma’s was always fun. I always looked forwarded to spending time with my grandparents. This is one of my favorites that I love to share when I cater the monthly hike and brunch at Reyes Winery. Sometimes I add hatch chiles when they are in season or even sometimes red pepper pesto which I did for this past hike. Many people adored…

The First stage of a growth of a vine

by Beth Heiserman

“Bud break”…what is that?It is the initiation of growth from the bud. It is the first stage of the growth of a vine. When it starts, dormancy is over. Then Flowering starts approximately 60 days later, and then the fruit will set, fourth is veraison and finally harvest.

Every year after harvest all the plants go dormant. We generally need at least 45 days of 54° weather every year to have a good harvest the following year. Generally,…

Have you ever opened a bottle of wine and as you are opening the bottle, get a whiff of something you aren’t sure what it is? Last week, I was opening a bottle of wine and as I removed the cork, an odor like no other was coming from the bottle. It smelled like a wet dog! I took a small sip to make sure, and then I knew the bottle had “Cork Taint”. I put the…

Viognier… the Other White Wine!

by Beth Heiserman

Viognier is white wine varietal from the Rhône Valley in France. Officially, it is the only white grape allowed in the region. It is also grown around the world, such as Australia, North and South America. We brought in our 2016 Viognier from Lake LA. That is approximately 50 miles north east of Santa Clarita. It is my favorite white varietal.

Viognier is a full bodied white wine that is full of aromatics like peaches, tangerines, violets and minerality. Generally, it is not aged in oak because the exposure to…

Why do we use Oak Barrels for wine?

By Beth Heiserman

Over 2000 years ago, a Greek historian, documented that wood barrels were used for wine in ancient Mesopotamia.I have mentioned before, in my article about “Orange Wines” that approximately 6000 years ago, wine was aged and stored in clay pots called Qvevri.Then eventually besides the clay, people started to use wood. Wood was lighter than clay when traveling. As the Romans were expanding their empire, they brought wine with them.

The Myth Behind the Title of a ‘Reserve Wine’

by Beth Heiserman

Many people think that there are certain descriptive words that people look for on a winery’s label, like reserve, estate grown, single vineyard, old vine, etc. This past week, I had someone ask what our “reserve wines” were.

In the U.S., “reserve” doesn’t theoretically mean anything. When applying for label approval from the TTB (Tax and Trade Bureau) in our country, reserve is nothing more than a brand…

any years ago, I went to Concannon Winery in Livermore, CA. They are known for their Petite Sirah. My father knew Jim Concannon. I stayed up there for two weeks to learn more about wine. He taught me from Wine Tasting Etiquette to wine pairing. I enjoyed my trip so much; it is something I will never forget. I remember walking through a courtyard with him, asking him what do Petite Sirah grapes taste like compared to the actual wine. He reached up above up on an…

For many years apple juice was considered apple cider which is unfiltered and unsweetened non alcoholic beverage. There was no difference in the name, some states call it differently and to differentiate from processed apple juice and cider. Some people call it soft or sweet cider. Then we have hard cider, which is fermented. Fresh cider is not filtered. Juice is filtered and pasteurized.

Cider will begin to become somewhat carbonated shortly after pressing and eventually become hard cider…

Part 2

By Beth Heiserman

Last week, was the second leg of a 6 six-city tour for the “Double Gold” medal tour with the San Francisco International Wine & Spirits Competition. Last Tuesday, I went to Manhattan to Quality Italian Steakhouse on 57th street to the “Double Gold” Tasting event. I am excited to meet the media from New York. I love to share that we are the only winery here from Los Angeles County especially because we…

SF International Wine and Spirits “Double Gold” Tour

by Beth Heiserman

Last week, was the first leg of a 6 six-city tour for the “Double Gold” medal tour with the San Francisco International Wine & Spirits Competition. I will be traveling to New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles in the next few weeks. Plus the wine will travel on to Portland and Chicago without me. I was in San Francisco pouring our 2012 Syrah. This was our second Double Gold Medal. The 2011 Syrah won two years ago…

2017 Wine Education at the LA County Fair

By Beth Heiserman

Last week, I attended a wine education class at the LA County Fair in Pomona for Award Winning Wines of Southern California. They presented our 2013 Syrah which won a silver award. I was so excited to be there and experience a class which I attend every year that had one of our wines. This was the first time we were included in this class or for that matter any class. As I waited in line, people kept…

Celebrate one of the oldest wine varietals…Tempranillo

By Beth P. Heiserman

Tempranillo ripens earlier than other varietals. It grows around the world, but is mainly grown in the Rioja region of Spain. This varietal has been growing since Phoenicians settled in the Iberian Peninsula somewhere around 1000 BC when the wine trade was flourishing. The Phoenicians had created a widespread wine trading network around the Mediterranean Sea ports. It is possible that they started trading around 800 BC when they founded Carthage in 814 BC. They also founded Málaga,…

Let’s Celebrate GrenacheBy Beth P. Heiserman

Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine varietal in the world. It grows well in hot, dry and windy climates like Agua Dulce. It ripens much later than most varietals. There are different types of Grenache; Noir, Blanc, Gris and Rose. It is mainly grown in France, Australia, Sardinia/Italy and the Central Valley of California. Most likely the grape originated from Spain during the period when the Aragon Crown ruled according to ampelographical evidence.The study of ampelography helps identify and classifies…

Syrah or Shiraz?By Beth P. Heiserman

When I first started at Reyes Winery in Agua Dulce, I remember trying the 2009 Syrah. It became my favorite instantly. It has such a great smokiness and is so fruit forward that I knew it would be perfect to pair with bison or lamb. I have paired this wine with everything from Sloppy Joes to a leg of lamb. Syrah is sometimes known as Shiraz. It is grown all over the world. Its dark skin…

Malbec is considered to be a thin-skinned purple grape that tends to be a full-bodied wine. Black cherry, plum, berries, mocha, molasses, leather and black pepper are some of the notes you will recognize. The aromas will vary based upon climate where it is grown. It has many names, but In Bordeaux, it’s known as Malbec. It is one of the six red Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Carménère). When growing, it requires higher temperatures and elevations than Cabernet Sauvignon. Plus it doesn’t have a long…

On St. Patrick’s Day, Everyone is a ‘Little Bit Irish’

by Beth P. Heiserman

Have you ever had an Irish wine? Many people are familiar with Irish whisky, beer and even Irish liqueurs. Who doesn’t love Irish crème liqueur and coffee? However, the Irish do make wine, too!

They grow varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and many others. They also produce apple and pear hard cider, and even mead (honey wine). The European Commission has now officially listed Ireland as a wine producing country. We know from history that in the 5th…

50 Shades of pink!

What is a Rosé Wine?

From pink to fuchsia…and all the shades in between like blush, crepe, rouge,salmon or coral.

By Beth P. Heiserman

Published February 1, 2017

Rose wines, often called blush wines are wines normally made with red grapes but that have a much lighter color than red wine based upon the way the wine is created. It can be created a number of ways. There are three ways to make a rose; skin-contact, Saignée or blending.Read More

Did you ever wonder about the history of a corkscrew?

by Beth P. Heiserman

Did you ever wonder what did people do to open a bottle of wine before cork screws? Since wine making has been around for 8000 years, you would think that efficient wine storage would have had more progression. But then again most wine is still made the same way in some parts of the world. For many centuries, the winery would sell barrels to stores and the stores would bottle as they sold it.

The perfect pairing for turkey dinner

Ever wondered what should you serve with turkey? Here are some ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner this year.

By Beth P. Heiserman

Published November 16, 2016

Ever wondered what should you serve with turkey? Here are some ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner this year. There are plenty of white and red choices for everyone to love. Every dish can pair with a different wine. Here are some choices to choose from, from a dry Sauvignon Blanc to a sweet dessert wine…

Did you know Merlot was given a month to celebrate?

October is International Merlot Month!

By Beth Heiserman, Published October 2016

Merlot is one of the primary grapes used in Bordeaux wine. The word Merlot has said to be a derivative of the word merle. In French, it means blackbird. History tells us that one of the first wine labels with Merlot on it was in 1784 in Bordeaux, France. It is a very popular red grape that is generally planted around the world for blending. Merlot adds…

Veraison

It is the ripening stage before we harvest

The grape cycle begins with bud break, generally in March or April. Flowering, and fruit set happens shortly after. Then followed in the summer by veraison which leads into harvesting. By Thanksgiving, we have the beautiful colors of fall. The leaves start to fall, which leads into dormancy in the month of December and January. We then prune in January.

Currently, we are in the veraison stage. This is the stage before harvest. After “fruit set”, the red grapes varietals…

It started in New Zealand to help promote the wine. They produce over 70% of the worlds Sauvignon Blanc production.

The celebrations will kick off on May 6th this year in New Zealand, a country that owes much of its reputation to Sauvignon Blanc, and will continue across the globe following the sun with tastings planned around the world and eventually finishing 43 hours later at the organization’s headquarters in San Francisco. Celebrate by enjoying a glass of Sauvignon…

I’m always amused when I go to events or to someone’s house and
they have a cheese course. I often see cheeses that don’t pair really well with certain wines.

Cheese is a lot like wine, they both have aromas, flavors and other
nuances that are very similar. Cheese is perfect either as a starter or a dessert course. Pick a wine like a Chardonnay, one that is a little herbal and slightly fruity like Reyes 2010 Chardonnay. This wine pairs well with a variety of cheeses such as goat cheese rolled in Lavender…

VISION

Robert Reyes envisioned having a small vineyard to produce small amounts of ultra premium wines to share with family and friends. However, when the beautiful piece of land where the vineyard is today, was acquired in 2002, the vision changed from a personal hobby to a small boutique winery. The longer-term vision is to bring Reyes Wines to wine lovers throughout the US and abroad.

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Mission Statement
Our mission is to produce the best quality wines in Los Angeles County by having a high standard of care and focusing on every phase of production. This passion for perfection will ensure that once consumers taste our wines, they'll know the quality and craftsmanship that goes into every bottle of Reyes Wines. (Our collection of 100 medals and awards as of June 2017 is a testament to our mission to be the best)